Rail-joint



D. P. PARKER.

I RAIL JOINT.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 20, 1926.

1,392,790, Patented Oct. 4, 1921.

D P Pa Wife 1 DEMPSEY P. PARKER, 0F OSTEEN, FLORIDA.

RAIL-JOINT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

- Patented Got. a, 1921.

Application filed. April 20, 1920. Serial No. 375,320.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, DEMPSEY P. PARKER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Osteen, in the county of Volusia and State of Florida, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rail-Joints; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to rail joints, and the primary object of the invention is to provide a relatively simple form of joint whereby the meeting ends of the track rails may be'placed in an interlocking or cooperative position, and which joint is constructed to be exceedingly strong, to eliminate the use of'fish plates, and to so construct the rail traction of the rails, under different weather conditions, Without buckling the rails, or without spreading the rails to such an extent as to render the passage of a train thereover dangerous. I

More specifically, an object of the invention my Letters Patent #1,203,396, issued October 31st, 1916, by providing a three piece joint, ,to allow for the expansion and contraction of the rails, which joint comprises a coupling or connecting member which has a longitudinally extending dove-tail formed along one side of the same, that seats in a dove-tail recess carried by one rail of a track, and an inclined substantially vertically extending dove-tail projection and an elliptical projection which fit in corresponding recesses formed in an angled extension formed upon the complementary rail of the track structure.

'VViththe foregoing and other objects in view, this invention consists in such novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and claimed.

In describing the invention in detail, reference will be had to the accompanying drawings wherein like characters designate like and corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which:

Figure 1 is. a top plan view of the improved rail joint,

oint as to allow for the expansion or con-' is to improve the rail joint disclosed in- Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the rail joint, having parts broken away,"and

Fig. 3 is a vertical section through therail joint, taken on -the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Referring more particularly to the draw: ings, 1 and 2 designate the rails of the track, which areconnected by the improved joint structure, and 3 indicates the coupling member employed for connectingthe rails 1 and 2. The coupling member 3 has a longitudinally extending dovetail projection 4 formed upon one side of the same, substan tially equidistant of the top and bottom surfaces, which dove-tail projection is seated in a dove-tail recess 5 formed in the inner surface of the rail 2. The rail 1 has an angularly disposed projection 6 formed integrally with the end which meets the end of the rail 2, and dis posed laterally therefrom. The major portion of the projection 6 extends parallel to the rail 1 and this projection is provided with a dove-tail recess 7 which extends downwardly at an oblique angle to the perpendicular, as clearly shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings. The projection 6 also has an elliptical recess 8 formed therein, and extending downwardly substantially parallel to the dove-tail recessF. Both of the recesses 7 and 8 have their constricted openings communicating with the surface of the extension 6 which faces the dove-tail surface of the rail 2, and they receive extensions 9 and 10 respectively, which are formed upon the sides of the coupling member 3,-

opposite to the side which carries the dove tail'projection 4. The shoulder 12 formed on the end of the rail 1 is cut at an angle, substantially parallel to the recesses 7 and 8 and the shoulder 13' formed upon the transversely extending portion of the projection 6 is also cut parallel to the shoulder 12. The ends of the rail2 and the coupling 8 which fit against the shoulders 12 and 13 are cut and inclined to snugly fit against these inclined shoulders. 1

The extension 6, coupling 3 and rail 2, are provided with an elongated opening 14 extending transversely therethrough sub stantially equidistant of their ends which is provided for receiving a bolt 15. The bolt 15 is provided for reinforcingthe connection of the members, through the mediufn o he d ve-tails 4 and a and the elliptical projection 10, and the elongated opening let permits of limited endwise movement of any one of either of the rails 1 and 2 with respect to each other or with respect to the coupling 3, to compensate for the expansion or contraction of the rails under weather conditions. a

To connect the meeting ends of the rails 1 and-2, the coupling member 3 is first con nected to the extension 6, after whichthe rail 2 is set so that the end of the recess 5 will receive the .end of the dove-tail 4, and the rail 2 is then moved longitudinally toward the rail 1, sliding upon the dove-tail projection 4.- which connects the rail 2, to the coupling member 3 for preventing either lateralor vertical movement of the rail 2- with respect to the coupling. Lateral or vertical movement of the rail 1 with respect to the coupling is prevented by the dovetail extension 9 and the elliptical projection 10, which are seated in the openings 7 and 8 respectively of the extension 6. After the rail 2 has been pushed until its angled end engages the shoulder 12, the bolt 15 is inserted through the opening 14 and held therein by the usual form of nut, which securely connects the meeting ends of the rails 1 and 2, to prevent spreading of the rails and to allow for a limited longitudinal movement of the rails under expansion and contraction.

What is claimed is :1. In a rail joint, a track rail having a laterally disposed extension formed upon one-end thereof, said extension being pro- 7 vided with a dove-tailed recess communicat ing with its inner surface and extending downwardly through the extension at an incline to the vertical, a coupling member having a dove-tail projection formed thereupon for seating in said dovetailed recess, a longitudinally extending dovetailed extension formed upon'the opposite side of said coupling member from said first named dove-tailed extension, and a complementary track rail having a longitudinally extending dove-tailed recess formed in its inner surface for receiving the dove-tailed-projection formed upon said coupling member, the meeting ends of said track rails being cut at an incline to the vertical and substantially parallel to said inclined dove-tail recess and projection. H

- 2. In a rail joint, a track rail having a laterally disposed: extension formed upon one end thereof, said extension being provided with a dove-tailed recess communieating with its inner surface and extending downwardly through the extension at an incline to the vertioal,.a coupling member having a dove-tail projection formed thereupon for seating in said dove-tailed recess, a longltudinally extending dove-tailed extension formed upon the opposite'side of said 0011- pling member from said first named dovetailed extension, and a complementary track rail having a longitudinally extending dovetailed recess formed in its inner surface for receiving the dove-tailed projection formed upon said coupling member, the meeting ends of said track rails beingcut at an inoblique incline to the vertical, said extension provided with a substantially elliptical recess formed in its outer surface outwardly of the; dove-tailed recess and extending downwardly substantially parallel with the dove-tailed recess, a coupling member, a dove-tailed projection, and an elliptical projection formed upon said coupling member and seated in said dove-tailed and elliptical recesses, said coupling memberprovided with a longitudinally extending dove-tailed projection formed upon its face opposite to said first named dovetail projection, and positioned substantially equidistant of its upper and lower surfaces, a'complementary rail provided with ;a dove-tailed .recess formed in its inner surface and adapted to receive the dove-tailed projection formed upon said coupling member,'said inclined dovetailed recess and said inclined elliptical recess having their walls slightly converging, as they extend downwardly, the meeting ends of said rails and the end of said coupling member which engages a portion of said extension being cut at an incline substantially parallel to-said first named dove-tailed and elliptical recesses. v 4. In a rail joint, atrack rail having a laterally disposed extension formed inte grally therewith and projecting longitudinally from one end of the rail, a dove-tailed recess formed in the inner face of said extension and extending downwardly at an dove-tailed projection, an elliptical projection formed upon said couplmg member and seated in said dove-tailed and elliptical recesses, said coupling member provided with a longitudinally extending dove-tailed projection formed upon its face opposite to said first named dove-tail projection, and positioned substantially equidistant of its upper and lower surfaces, a complementary rail provided with a dove-tailed recess formed in its inner surface and adapted to receive the clove-tailed projection formed upon said coupling member, said inclined dove-tailed recess and said inclined elliptical recess having their walls slightly converging as they extend downwardly, the meeting ends of said rails and the end of said coupling member which engages a portion of said extension being cut at an incline substantially parallel to said first named dove-tailed and elliptical recesses, said extension, said coupling and said complementary rail provided with alining elongated openings extending horizontally andtransversely therethrough and a bolt extending through said openings. In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

DEMPSEY P. PARKER. Witnesses:

UNA RAULEkSON, R. H. CHAPMAN. 

